10 Ways I Benefited From Having Teachers As Parents
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10 Ways I Benefited From Having Educator Parents

There are Preacher's Daughters... but I am Teacher's Daughter.

Brooke Przybylinski
Nov 05, 2018
Pennsylvania State University
268
https://www.pexels.com/photo/young-woman-thinking-with-pen-while-working-studying-at-her-desk-6384/
Pexels

I am the child of two educators, and I must say that I am very thankful for that. My mom is an elementary school teacher and my dad taught high school math before subsequently becoming a principal. While yes, in some situations, I was held to a higher standard because many people knew who my parents were, I am very glad to have been raised in an education-focused environment. I have seen how to become a tolerant, hardworking person who has her priorities straight.

So, here are ten more specific ways I have been glad to be Teacher's Daughter.

1. I had no choice but to stay out of trouble.

Okay, I'll admit that sometimes it seemed "cool" to be the one who was having a wild party or engaging in "unsupervised fun" in elementary school, but in the end, I am super glad that my parents didn't allow me to do any of those activities. Maybe I was "uncool" but as a teacher's daughter, I was never the one who had cops at her house to bust a party, the one who was lured into a dangerous friend group, or the one who ended up in the principal's office for misconduct.

2. My parents are the best watchdogs for fake friends.

The amazing thing about working as a long-time educator is that you get to observe thousands of students. You then become an expert on spotting "mean girls" or crappy guys in schools. My parents always warned me if one of my friends wasn't really a friend, so there are few people that really "let me down." I was made aware of most people's true intentions early on.

3. In some instances, I was treated as a celebrity.

Sometimes, I didn't feel as much a teacher or principal's daughter as I did the president's daughter. Personally, I was very flattered (and lucky) that people would come up to me and say, "I love your mom" or "Your dad is awesome." With that came the expectation that I would always look and act my best (because I worried that I would be scrutinized), but I can't say that I didn't enjoy my 15 seconds of fame.

4. I was raised to be tolerant and empathetic towards others.

Because both my parents have taught such diverse students over the years and fostered an understanding of who they are, they have always wanted me to accept others, their backgrounds, and any of their own personal battles. As a result, I always treat everyone as an equal, regardless of their race, religion, sexuality, beliefs, or nationality.

5. I was able to develop self-discipline and a work ethic.

When you teach, it's very easy to see the direct correlation between hard work and success. My parents always taught me to work hard, my parents always modeled hard work, and therefore my parents raised me to understand the importance of working to reach my full potential in whatever I pursue. I am thankful for that.

6. For certain subjects, I always had a free tutor.

My mom was an elementary school teacher in my elementary school who changed grade levels several times, so there were points in time when I was doing the same work her class was doing, doing work she had previously taught, or doing work she was eventually going to teach. My dad used to teach high school math so needless to say, leading up to high school math, I always had a math tutor living in my house.

7. My parents can always give me credible advice about how to succeed in the future.

Parents in many different professions (or no profession at all) can all give very good advice on how to succeed based on their wisdom and experiences. I know my parents particularly can because they have seen so many people who are so many different ages and what their futures held. Therefore, I know that they can give me very valid opinions about the choices I should make and how my decisions will impact my future.

8. When I have guests over, the guests are always very respectful.

I am lucky enough to have respectful friends, but even in times when I invited large quantities of people when it was easy to bend house rules, I never had any problems. With educator parents, guests are almost always on their best behavior and aware that rules are likely stricter in terms of drugs, alcohol, and general behavior. And, if anything, I feel like my house has proven that dry parties are not necessarily less fun!

9. I could actually make friends through my parents.

It's one thing to make a friend through a friend or a cousin or a sibling--but try making friends through your parents. That idea might be crazy to think about, but when you have educator parents, it makes sense. I made many connections with many different people because they were students of my mom or my dad--and they happened to be my own age.

10. Most importantly, I have a constant desire to learn.

Since I was raised to value learning new lessons, whether it was in the classroom or in life in general, I treat everything as a learning experience. I make mistakes and sometimes don't succeed the first time, but I understand that it is sometimes better to make a mistake and learn than to do everything right the first time. Having educator parents does not mean that I am forced to do extra school work but rather that I always have a hunger for knowledge and treat everything as a lesson!

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